Pan-African coalition of 55 CSOs vows to protect frontline defenders and pursue binding African agreement
By Bunmi Yekini
Environmental Rights Africa (ERA), a coalition of more than 55 civil society organizations across the continent, has formally endorsed its newly elected Steering Committee (SC) to lead the fight for a binding African environmental rights treaty and safeguard communities facing climate and ecological crises.
The endorsement came during ERA’s General Membership Meeting on August 26, 2025, following the inaugural SC session held on August 21. Ahmad Abdallah of the Egyptian Commission for Rights and Freedoms emerged as Chairperson, while Guinea’s Saran Touré was chosen as Co-Chairperson, a move coalition members say reflects gender, youth, and linguistic balance in leadership.
In his acceptance remarks, Abdallah underscored the urgency of ERA’s mission: “Our struggle is not abstract, it is the struggle of farmers losing their lives to droughts, of coastal communities watching the sea rise, of indigenous people defending their sacred lands. It is the struggle of courageous defenders who face violence, intimidation, and death for speaking truth to power. Our mission is to ensure these voices are not silenced, but amplified.”
The Steering Committee mirrors Africa’s regional diversity, with focal points in West, East, Central, Southern, and North Africa. It will oversee ERA’s five-year strategy, which focuses on coalition building, research-driven policy development, and initiating negotiations for a binding continental treaty on environmental rights.
Alfred Brownell, ERA’s Lead Campaigner, hailed the transition as a milestone for Africa’s environmental justice movement.
“What sustained ERA was not resources, but the enthusiasm, commitment, and voluntarism of our members who persevered despite daunting challenges. That energy has carried us here, and it will continue to drive us forward.”
Backed by a recent $600,000 grant from the Open Society Foundations and supported by international observers, the committee is expected to strengthen ERA’s advocacy across high-level forums, including the upcoming African Climate Summit in Addis Ababa and the UN Humanitarian Conference in Geneva.
With its headquarters in Monrovia, Liberia, and a Secretariat led by veteran activist Peter Quaqua, ERA says it is determined to unite Africa’s defenders under a single, powerful voice for justice, accountability, and the right to a healthy environment.